Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-11-03
eater Won. the Fiaaro. please

spond, vt is not tho Figaro. but the
Constitutional that l am reading"
"Oh! you would give me the lie,
would youP Take care, sir. or, by |
Heavens! I'll teach you better man
ners."
On another occasion he would intro
duce like scene after this fashion:
"Now, don't keep staring at me In
that offensive way, pleasep'
a." expostulated the customer.
lord bless me, sir, didn't even see
You. was looking the other way"
"Oh! then | am a liar, am lp" And
CT quart would rise from his seat in a
threatening attitude.
Even the most peaceful persons could
scarcely put up with such insolence.
They felt like tucking up their sleeves
and knocking Choquart down. Nor
did he fail, at times, to meet with his
deserts. He more than once stumbled
on Tartar. His best known scrape
that way is worth relating Choquart
one day entered a courtyard to chal-
lenge a master-builder, who was pump
ing water Mt fountain. The master
builder looked up surprised, caught
hold of Choquart by the scruff of his
neck, doubled him up, put him under
the pump, and soused him like dead
rat.
The story of Choquart's adventures
would fill volume. but l will relate
only one, wherein | acted rs his sec
ond.
One night, at masked ball, Cho-
quart quarreled with q Turk. Cards
were exchanged. The following day,
Choquart, with his two seconds, went
to his adversary's house. The Turk of
the previous evening turned out to be
well-to-do upholsterer, who carried
on business III the Saint-Martin quar-
ter. On entering the premises, Cho-
quart inquired after M. Ballu.
"What can do for your" asked n
young and pretty woman, who came
forward from tho back OF the shop.
STUFF and nonsense! / don't like
jokingin matters of serious Importance.
My name is Choquart. come for an
affair of honor. A gentleman shouldn't
be made to wait in this manner. Your
husband is an ill-bred dog"
s.nh / L hat
brings you. This is what have to say.
My husband went out yesterday to
spend the carnival. and it has made
him ILL.,. He is in bed, and splits blood. !"
Dear me-" remarked Choquart,
turning toward his seconds, "what n
mischance! He spits blood, did you
say?"
ALAS! yes sir" answered the young
woman, who seemed much affected,
and the doctor says that he has not six
months to live"
Dear metz went on repeating
Choquart, splitting blood. How shall
we settle matters. thenp Hasn't six
months to live. Well, madame, I'm
not bad fellow. whatever others may
think. Now, listen to what have To
say. We are in January, aren't WEI
just so. Well. I'll give your husband
six months to be buried in. Ishall call
around and pay my respects six months
hence. If, In July next, your husband
isn't dead and buried, I'll treat him as
a knave and deceiver, and placard his
name in all the barracks of Paris"
This threat, which constantly fell
from Choquart's lips, was reminis.
cence of his soldier life The thought
never suggested itself that an uphol-
sterer might not care the jingle of 6
brass farthing whether his name were
placarded or not in all the barracks Of
the country,
One fine afternoon In July of thai
same year, Choquart took hold of my
arm at the Varieties coffee-house, anC
said:
"Come along with me, old boy;
have a small matter which l real
ly must clear up without further loss o
time.
We took road which led toward tn,
Saint-Martin quarter, and, as W,
walked along, Choquart entered cir
substantially into the particulars o
the case. The upholsterer's day o
reckoning had arrived, and Choquar
was bent on finding out whether hi
former Turk Had paid the funeral draf
Endorsed six months previously by hi
wife.
If" soliloquized Choquart 9Th
rogue is still alive, I'll cut off both hi
ears, you know. I'm justified in s.
doing, am notP"
: "Of course you are, my dear fellow
But. let me ask, the thing occurre,
} long ago, didn't it, ami in the carniva
t season. And again, what did the fel
, low do to warrant such feudP"
l What did he do, the villainp Jus
: listen, and I'll tell you. l was at
masked ball given at the Renaissance
/ Theater. l walked into the green
g room, in my dress suit am spare G
, limb, rs you can see Suddenly Tur
A stopped directly in front of me, an
bawled out; 'Halloo, there goes tn
1 Fat Ok Make way, please, for tn
t Fat Oxr Everybody roared at thi
9 sally. was downright vexed, as 20
l may suppose. So l made up to hiI
e and said: My merry friend, at moo
e tomorrow you shall be a dead mani
He was in the wrong, certainly"
|, pleaded, ito insinuate so invidious
= comparison between a thin man lik
you and a fat OK; but"
We had reached our destination
t Entering the shop, we came upon n
: Ballu, the upholsterer, who all buddin
: and blooming, was busy working at
: parcel of goods.